Featuring: Amber Flame, Carly T, Havilah Rand & Najah Todd

The Blues have long been a rally cry transforming personal and collective hardships – stemming from racial injustice and systemic oppression – into a musical language of resistance and essential expression. Rooted in field hollers and call-and-response, these songs provided emotional resilience and solidarity within Black communities. Continue the journey with us as we explore historic and current ideations of this truly American art form.

In the song, Be What You Want To Be, Koko Taylor lays out both the invitation and consequence in living by this declaration. This session’s artists have their own take on the theme.